What I loved about Fort Drum Country

I met my soldier when he was stationed in Fort Drum.

At the time, he didn't have a lot of great things to say about the place.  He suffered from "the grass is always greener" syndrome.  You want what you can't have.  His main argument was that it is WAY far from the rest of civilization and from where I lived - 5.5 hours of driving to be exact - but it is truly a beautiful place.  Not necessarily the post, but the surrounding areas.  For a city girl like me, it was such a welcome change to get to see stars and so much trees - to also experience quiet, serene places.  I live in New York City - where there is more cement than trees and cars than deer.  Of course, another fantastic thing about Fort Drum was that my soldier was there.

I loved the outdoors, even for a city girl like myself.  I think it's my Texan nature coming out.  I'm pretty convinced that if it weren't for my soldier being in Fort Drum, we wouldn't be as much in love as we are now.  I have lots of treasured memories from that place.

What I loved about Fort Drum:

The Black River Trail: It's a beautiful tree-lined paved trail that was just miles away from post.  It provided the perfect amount of shade in the hot summer months for a nice walk.

 Westcott Beach State Park: My soldier and I love to swim!  Westcott was our go-to swimming hole that also offered campgrounds!  It was just minutes away from post too - and offered lots of fun recreational activities for us.

Black River Drive-In: It was a shock to find a drive-in still in existence! The last time I went to a drive it, it was probably sometime in the 90s.  Although we didn't frequent it so much, I really enjoyed the experience.

The New York State Zoo: I love animals, so it made sense to visit the zoo!  During the Christmas time, they decorate the grounds with lights and have it open in the evening.  It was a lot of fun to get to see the different animals during the day and the fun Christmas lights at night!

Golden Unicorn Diner: You probably didn't know about this hidden gem if you weren't a local.  They are known for their ENORMOUS pancakes.  I only had the appetite for one normal sized pancake and thought, "oh four dollars sounds reasonable."  Well, I got this...

Boldt Castle: Probably one of the most tragic love stories you'd ever hear about, Mr. Boldt purchased "Heart Island" for his wife and him to reside.  He was in the process of constructing a gorgeous estate when his wife died suddenly.  After that, Mr. Boldt stopped all construction and the castle remained unfinished for years.  It's now a museum and holds several different events.  In 2012, my soldier and I went to witness the Fourth of July fireworks over the castle.

I have so much to be thankful for with Fort Drum.  Who knows if we'll ever get back, but at least I know where to go!